He scrambled up to his knees and crawled away a few feet until he jumped up and took off running. I watched him dart across the carpark and then cross the street to Minnie’s Diner where he’d parked in a darkened area.

He squealed out onto the street and drove away in a black Porsche with tinted windows.

I turned back to Elizabeth.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” I rushed over to her and tilted her chin up.

She took a deep breath, her lashes fluttering as she tried to gather herself. She gasped in air then slowly let it out.

“Panic attack?” I asked softly, careful to keep my distance from her as she inhaled and exhaled.

She nodded and spoke around her breaths. “Yeah. Only happens when I feel out of control.”

I gave her a few minutes to gather herself and watched as she took deep breaths, her color slowly coming back to her face.

“Who was that guy? Did you know him?”

Her eyes flared wide and then she looked hurriedly away. “Just—just someone I met tonight at the bookstore. He—he followed me home, I guess.”

She was lying. But why? Was she protecting him?

“He said he knew you.” I clenched my fists. Was he one of her one-night stands gone wrong?

She blushed a bright red and clamped her lips shut.

Why wouldn’t she confide in me? God, I didn’t want to upset her when she was already freaked out.

I sighed and looked around the breezeway. Okay. Changing gears. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. She nodded. “One minute I was thinking about getting into my apartment, and the next he was just there. He didn’t touch me, but if you hadn’t come out …” She shuddered. “Thank you. Again.”

“You get a name?”

She stiffened. “Why?”

I shrugged. “I have a friend with campus police. Wouldn’t hurt checking in to see if any complaints have been filed about him.”

She let out a deep breath as if steeling herself. “Colby Scott.”

“Okay.” I smiled gently, filing that name away as I took the keys from her hand and pushed her door open for her. I’d be doing my own investigating as well.

She blinked at the door, not moving.

I cupped her shoulders, consciously keeping my hands soft. “Hey, it’s over, okay? I showed up in time, and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” She rested her head on my shoulder, and shit, I got angry all over again. I should have hit him harder. “I think we should call the police and file a report. He followed you here, and that’s not cool.”

She tilted her head up and looked at me. Her lips trembled. “He didn’t actually do anything.”

“But you felt threatened, right? That’s enough to report him. Maybe I should just go pay him a visit myself.”

Her eyes widened. “No,” she bit out. “It’s over, and after what just happened, he won’t be back.” She swallowed. “And don’t you do anything on your own either, Declan. I don’t want you getting into trouble because of my stupid mistakes. Besides, he could stab you or shoot you or hit you with a two by four … just don’t.”

I grinned at her. “A two by four? Is that what people fight with in Petal, North Carolina?”

She smiled—just a little—and damn it made my heart glad.

She wavered for a moment at her door, her glance falling on my hand. “You were so fast, and I didn’t even know you were there—until you were. I wish I could do that.”

I gazed down at her, assessing. “If you want, I can show you how to hit, but I’d need to touch you. Are you good?”

Emotions flitted across her face and her mouth opened but then shut.

“Elizabeth?”

She covered my hand with hers and looked up at me with those soul-wrenching blue eyes I could drown in. “When it comes to you, Declan, I’m never afraid. Why don’t you come inside and show me?”

Heat poured into me.

“Okay.” I followed her into her flat. A lot like mine, it had a big living room with a small kitchen to the right and the bedrooms in the back. “Your place is cleaner than mine.”

A few minutes later, after she’d got us some water to drink, we stood in the living room and squared off across from each other. I showed her a few basic self-defense stances, and then got to work on her hands. I took her right one and curled it around until she had a nice tight fist.

“First rule is to make sure your thumb is on the outside. Never tuck it inside your hand when you hit because you’ll break it. Keep it tight, but not so tight you cut off the circulation.”

She nodded and came in closer. I held her hand, adjusting it, my fingers pressing into her skin as I shaped her fist. The fresh citrus scent she wore made my cock twitch.

Down, boy .

She watched me intently, the electric current between us seeming to ramp higher.

Did I notice that her eyes had darkened? That her breathing was heavier? Yes.

I sucked in a ragged breath. Keep control, man . She might be gorgeous and sweet, but she wasn’t the one for me. I needed someone who wanted the same things I did.

“When you hit, use a linear motion, not a wide swing. Your opponent is less likely to see a straight punch. Tilt your fist down slightly and protect the fingers. Your goal is to hit with the first two knuckles.”

“Okay.” She made a fist and held it out.

I bit back a groan, picturing her holding my cock, sliding those soft hands over my hard length.